This invention relates to a water purifying and heating apparatus capable of obtaining clean cold or hot water suitable for drinking or other uses and, in particular, to apparatus capable of being used as a household appliance and as industrial plant for desalting of salt water.
Heretofore, a hollow fiber membrane has been provided as water purifying filter capable of eliminating particulates. Pressure is provided to the hollow fiber member filter from the outside of the hollow fiber. Therefore, when used as a water purifying apparatus the hollow fiber membrane filter requires a pressure holding tank or the like.
In using a pressure holding tank, there is an inevitable need for a high pressure pump. Consequently, such apparatus is difficult to fabricate for use as a household appliance where 100 volt electric power is the source. In most cases, the domestic electric power source is not sufficient to provide the large load current required for start-up of the high pressure pump. Therefore, the use of such equipment is limited and portable construction virtually impossible. Further, the hollow fiber membrane has as one of its characteristics a reduction in the rate of water intake by about 50% when the temperature of water to be treated is decreased about 10.degree. C.